BEATLES MAGAZINE : ED RUDY EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

…New York City, Washington DC, New York again, Miami Beach, Florida, and again return to NYC for flight to London comprised the itinerary of The Beatles’ first American Tour in February 1964… and ED RUDY WAS THERE!…

Shortly after landing in America from England, on February 7th, at the start of the First Beatles’ American Tour, The Beatles dazzled the world with their perspicacity, humor and charm when they answered reporters’ queries at the iconic Idlewild Airport (now JFK) press conference. Ed met The Beatles at Kennedy Airport, covered them at the Plaza Hotel on Park Avenue, traveled with them to Washington DC for their first US concert, reported on their shows at Carnegie Hall, and headed with them to Miami later that week, even sharing a suite with George Harrison at the Deauville Hotel on Collins Avenue.

Of course, The Beatles’ quick wit attracted huge very positive international film, newsreel, television and other press coverage. The Beatles also caused a great teen fan uproar while they were headquartered at NYC’s Plaza Hotel. The Beatles, on their first American tour, appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and, prior to that performance, recorded another show at the theatre which would be their third Ed Sullivan appearance.

The Beatles well photographed and documented, then traveled by rail, because the weather was bad, and performed and were filmed at their first major American sold out performance concert in the Washington D.C. Coliseum.

They were also honored at an internationally publicized Ambassador’s reception at the British Embassy in Washington. With The Beatles, we then returned to New York for The Beatles’ celebrity studded SRO performance at NYC’s famed Carnegie Hall. The Beatles flew to Florida with Ed Rudy, for their second Ed Sullivan Show performance at The Deauville Hotel. The Beatles, their entourage and Brian Epstein enjoyed their stay at the luxurious Deauville in Miami Beach. Wonderful weather, great press coverage and marvelous fan reaction were the impetus for what became an extended stay in sunny Miami, Florida. Along with The Beatles, Brian Epstein, Malcolm Evans, etc.Ed returned to the original New York airport (now JFK) before the marvelous Liverpool lads and entourage continued on their return flight to London. This was the first American Tour of The Beatles and the start of American Beatlemania! and Ed Rudy now a Miami resident, was very much involved as a radio and television reporter and journalist. He tell us about this….Happy 50th, Ed! You were there!

BEATLES MAGAZINE: Ed you were the only reporter who followed the group for the entire USA tour …

ED RUDY: I was the only American reporter to accompany The Beatles on their first American Tour, though there were many international reporters and photographers on the tour and many local journalists at each stop.
Our life changing relationship with The Beatles, though the prism of a very experienced journalist and radio and television interviewer and commentator, almost immediately converted us to aficionados of the fab four Liverpool Lads!

BM: Which of the Beatles you knew better ?

ED: We enjoyed our relationship with all of The Beatles, but probably influenced by the fact that we both lived in NYC, maintained a close relationship with only John Lennon until his tragic and untimely assassination, by a deranged fan, as he returned to his apartment at 1 West 72nd Street (The Dakota), in Manhattan.
John Lennon was, unquestionably, the leader of The Beatles, Paul McCartney was, as fans proclaimed, very talented and ‘the pretty Beatle”, George Harrison, the youngest, was very friendly personally but in public very much “the quiet Beatle”, and Richard “Ringo” Starr , the oldest, most professionally experienced, shortest and most recent addition, was “the different Beatle”!

BM: You saw the shows at the Washington Coliseum and Carnegie Hall, tell me about your experience.

ED: We have probably been present and enjoyed more Beatles’ concerts and performances than anyone else, except The Beatles and their managers.
All were outstanding despite often being difficult to hear because of very enthusiastic and loud fan reaction.

BM: What´s the most precious memory?

ED: Their first appearance on Ed Sullivan TV show was of the true highlights of “The American Tour with Ed Rudy” first Beatles´USA visit.

BM: You have a great albums from the period of Beatlemania. Really a interest collection piece of the Beatles´story wich contains a collage of comments by East Coast fans, press conferences and Beatles inteviews . Please tell me more about this

ED: These documentary albums are an historical footprint of Beatlemania in America. They’re fun, upbeat and an innocent reflection of the times, catching The Beatles in playful, off-guard character as they plunged full force into the American mainstream. Today these two interview albums have been digitally remastered and speed corrected for broadcast and are now available for your personal collection. The world famous recordings are part of the digital DNA of The Beatles mark on America and are clearly a must-have for Beatle fans who want to hear the true, inside story on The Beatles American Invasion.

BM: The Beatles dubbed you “Ed Rudy, The Fifth Beatle” in some broadcast…

ED: We were flattered and very pleased when
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr dubbed “Ed Rudy, The Fifth Beatle” in international broadcasts while we interviewed the for a huge network of 440 broadcast operations.

BM: What is your opinion about the Beatlemania of today?

ED: Beatlemania was born in the UK and became a world changing event for all young people when the phenomenon arrived in the USA on February 7th, 1964. Fifty years later, one half century, 2014, we can see that the change has certainly not been limited to musical tastes only. Beatlemania continues to reach across all generations in the universe and permanently made our planet more progressive, friendlier, more accepting of difference and change, and a much more peaceful place .

BM: Thank you very much Ed, you are part of the Beatles´story, a pleasure talk with you and a honour to me.

ED: Love the concept of BEATLES MAGAZINE! is an excellent site for autenthic Beatles related news, in English and spanish. This publication should prove to bevery popular for english and spanish speaking fans around the world. Si es verdad! we have a very high opinion of BEATLES MAGAZINE!. We will always be available to you, Lovely Rita!

For More Information on ED RUDY and his historic albums “THE AMERICAN TOUR WITH ED RUDY” AND “ED RUDY WITH NEW U.S TOUR” HERE: